Reminiscing
by The Hudson Hornet
Summary: Cars Fanfic Challenge.  One Shot. Set after the big race, Strip Weathers agrees to an interview that is tape recorded and the reporter sends him a copy.  What were The King's feelings before and after the race?


Hello everyone!

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write another story. Things have been very hectic, but I've been in a wonderful group called "Cars Fanfic" and they are givin' some great ideas for stories.

This particular diddy is from a challenge we are all workin' on. The challenge was to write a story of 500-2000 words of the events following the Piston Cup Race, focusing on The King and/or his wife. Mine is a little bit further into the distance than directly after the race, so I hope that's okay. If not, that's fine. I just liked writing this story!! Hope y'all enjoy readin' it!

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Reminiscing

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_KCHHHH…KCHH-"Hel-"KCCHHH-"Is this thing working? Aw! This darn thing never wants to-"_

"_Um, I think it's workin' fine now darlin'."_

"_It is? Oh! Oh right." Throat clears. "September 10, 2006, 4:35 P.M. This is Kori Turbowitz, here with Piston Cup racing legend, 'The King', Strip Weathers. Mr. Weathers, I wish to thank you again for you time to tape this one-on-one interview."_

"_It is no trouble at all lil lady. To tell ya the truth, I miss it a lil bit already. And please, call me Strip."_

"_All right Strip." Paper rustles. "It's been about a month now since your retiring race in California, and I am more than happy to see that you are back to perfect health. You had us all worried."_

"_Well, thank ya kindly. I had myself worried for awhile too, but here I am."_

"_Of course. First off, why did you choose racing as your career in life?"_

"_Well that's an easy one. Racing has always been a part of me, a part of my family. When I was a teenager, I had two idols: The Fabulous Hudson Hornet and 'The Intimidator' Dale Earncar Sr.. It could easily be said that I wanted ta be just like 'em, and in the end I am. We all started out as no names from nowhere, we had our share of Piston Cup wins, and in the end we all ended our careers the hard way."_

_Silence. "If I could, I wish to ask you a few questions about what happened that day."_

_A soft chuckle. "Well, I woulda been surprised if'n ya _hadn't_ asked."_

_A hesitant chuckle and papers rustle restlessly. "Yes, of course. Um, what were your thoughts going into the race?"_

"_Well, I wasn't thinkin' 'bout much actually. Durin' the road trip down, Lynda and I talked about what we wanted to do once I retired. And at the track, well, there wasn't really much time to think at all with alla the reporters and things goin' on."_

"_Yes, things tend to get a little hectic right before a race. What about your competition? Lightning McQueen, caused quite a fuss the week before."_

"_Yeah, the rookie had us all worried there for awhile, but I knew he wouldn't miss the race. I had a talk with him after the tyin' race. He's a great kid and a gutsy racer, but he needed to work on his teamwork skills. And from what I could tell, that week he was missin' did him a lotta good in the long run. I believe he found himself that team and the friends that he needed to keep him goin'. I'm very glad that I had the chance to race against him before my retirement, he sure made me fight for that first place position on more than one occasion."_

"_And what about Chick Hicks?" _

_A quiet pause. "I've always thought Chick was quite a competitor. And I'll say the same thing about him that I said 'bout Lightnin'. He's a competitor and I respect him for that. He fought hard all year for his position in the standings and at the same time he made me fight to keep mine."_

"_How about after his display on the track last month, did your views of him change?"_

_Restless movement. "Ya know I'd be lyin' if I said that I hold no grudge against him, but I can't really take it any further than that. Chick was made to race and win. He knows what he wants and will do anything to get it. In a way, I admire him for that. But in others, he does take his strategies a step too far. I know you were probably expecting me to get upset and say that I hate the guy for what he did, and maybe somewhere deep inside this old chassy I do. But I can safely say that if he were to come and talk to me, I wouldn't treat him any different than I would if we had been talkin' before that race." _

_A surprised silence. "W-well then. On to your future plans now. What do you see yourself doing in the near future now that the racing circuit is in your past?"  
_

_Another chuckle. "There is no getting' outta the racin' circuit Kori. Lynda and I have still been a part of Dinoco, helping with the training of the new racer. But we plan to leave within the next few months to finally settle down. Lynda likes the idea of having a few lil sets of tires runnin' around."_

_Two sets of laughter. "Well Strip, I wish to thank you once more on allowing me to visit you and have this wonderful interview. I hope that we can meet again soon."_

"Thank you Kori. I'm sure we'll be seein' each other again very soon." 

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The tape player clicked off as the tape came to an end. The powder blue Pontiac Firebird smiled slightly. "I guess I was a lil off on my math there."

"Daddy!" Strip turned around as two little blue blurs flew into the room.

"Daddy! Mama says we have to go to bed now, but we don't wanna!"

"Lily, Rose, you'd better listen to your mother."

"Awww! Daddy!!"

"Listen to him you two," Lynda reprimanded as she came in, "Off to bed."

The two little four-year-olds grumbled as they slowly left the room, kicking and dragging their tires.

Lynda smiled as she rolled over to her husband. "I love you, you old diddy rabbit."

Strip smiled. "Love you too dear."

Lynda disappeared as two other cars entered. One red and white with a 95 and the other's once dark green chassis covered in too many stickers now gleamed a bright blue with a white and orange Dinoco sticker on his hood.

"Hey there Chick, Lightning. How was the race?"

Lightning rolled his eyes. "Something happened in the judging to where Chick was called the winner and I wasn't. No big deal. I'll beat him next time."

"Sure Squirt. Whatever you say," Chick smirked.

Strip smiled slightly at his young replacements on the racing circuit. Lightning's main sponsor was still Rust-eze, but Tex was able to talk to the rookie into a contract as well. And Chick came to Strip only twoo weeks after the crash, having thought of the impact the accident had made on everyone and talked to the retired racer and his sponsor. They soon worked out a test run on Chick being the new Dinoco lead racer. Since then, Chick and Lightning were unstoppable.

"What have you been doin' in here old man?" Chick asked, "Shouldn't you be out on a rocker somewhere?"

Strip moved across the room, away from the tape recorder and drew the other two racers' attention. "Oh nothin', just thinkin' 'bout old times."

Lightning followed close behind. "Hey wait! What about our race?"

Strip turned around. "You've both still got a lot of guts. But you're both still stupid."

He then turned around and left, leaving the two standing silently in shock.

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Hope everyone enjoyed it!!

HH


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